WEEK 1
You Eat What?! (graded)
Ethnocentrism is generally defined as viewing one’s own culture as superior to all others. However, quite often, it is not quite that obvious. Whenever we encounter something that seems strange or different, we will feel some degree of discomfort. How we respond to that feeling is a gauge of how ethnocentric we are about it. Let’s suppose that you are entertaining a business client from France. You take him to a very fine restaurant where he looks over the menu very carefully, then asks the waiter if he or she, by chance, has chevalavailable. The waiter shakes his head and explains that it is not served in American restaurants. Your client becomes somewhat upset and tells you that a truly fine restaurant would serve “proper” cuisine, and that he was very disappointed with American hospitality so far. He eventually settles for the prime rib, but is ill-tempered for the rest of the evening. The next morning, he leaves for France without consummating the expected business deal. Your boss asks you what happened, and you explain that the client was upset because the restaurant didn’t serve something called cheval. Your boss’s eyes pop and he yells, “You mean he actually ordered horsemeat?”
How much ethnocentrism is at work? Discuss what and how a better understanding of cultural differences in food preferences by all parties could have prevented the unfortunate incident. What was your response to learning that the client wanted horsemeat? What was your response to his anger that he couldn’t get it?
Some of My Best. . . (graded)
Your company is in need of someone to fill a new position. The spot calls for some very specific skills, education, and experience, but you happen to have an old friend who exactly fits the bill. In addition, he has mentioned to you that he feels it is time to make a change and has been contemplating looking for a new job. You give him a call and he says that he is very interested, so you call the head of the department in question and tell him about your friend. The department head is very excited and tells you to have him call for an interview. You do and everything seems fine. Several weeks pass and your friend calls you and asks if you have any idea what happened with the job. He interviewed and everything went well, but he never heard back and just learned that the position had been filled with someone who has no experience and a much different background. You call the department head and relay the question. After some hemming and hawing, the department head makes some vague statement about your friend not being a “good fit.” He was afraid that your friend’s “accent” might make it difficult for him to be understood, and he was concerned about his work ethic since he came from a cultural background that has a more “laidback” work ethic. You hang up and think about it. Your friend is from Jamaica and does have an accent and very relaxed personality, but is certainly not lazy. Then you realize that he is also a minority and that this particular department not only has no minority employees, but never has had one. What do you do? Is the department head being ethnocentric or prejudiced? Do you tell your friend what you were told? Do you call someone higher up and express your concerns? Do you do nothing at all?
week 2
Culture is in the Air (graded)
I mentioned in the week’s introduction that culture was a lot like air. It is all around us, but we really don’t pay attention to it unless it is absent or smells odd. The same is true about our culture. We don’t think much about it, and we go through our lives feeling that things are the way they are because that’s the way they ought to be. This week, start sniffing the cultural air around you. What do you learn about our culture? Identify some things that are distinctively “American.” Don’t just use material culture (objects and physical symbols), but include non-material culture such as language, values, ideology, ethics, behaviors, and the like. What is it that makes us distinctive in the world?
Power Relationships (graded)
A cellphone company recently ran a television ad touting its call reliability, in which a young man is talking to his future father-in-law, who is telling him to address him by his first name and consider him a friend. The young man launches into a series of variations of the first name. Unknown to either party, the call is dropped and the young man does not hear any response from the father. He becomes very nervous and disconcertedly reverts to “Mr.” and “Sir.” The ad’s message is clear: Use our service and this sort of thing won’t happen.
Why do you think the ad agency chose this power relationship for its commercial, and is it one to which you can relate??Have you had any kind of similar experience (not necessarily on a cellphone)?
week 3
Take a Walk (graded)
Let’s start this discussion by sharing public observations. Spend time either walking around or sitting and watching people in a very busy public place. Look for things that you associate with people from race/ethnic, cultural, gender, and social-class backgrounds that are different from your own. Look for the kinds of common interactions or behaviors between different groups and those like your own. For example, do they acknowledge the other’s presence if eye contact happens to occur? Do any behaviors change in the presence of other groups?
Consider what you expect to see based on your assumptions and understandings about persons of different backgrounds (how you expect them to dress, walk, talk, interact with each other, interact with others, etc). Make note of those things that catch your attention. Pay special attention to what you don’t see as well. In two to three paragraphs, share your observations with the class. Please begin your post with, “In my observation…”
Gender Roles (graded)
When traveling to other countries for business, it is important to know the male/female roles in each country. Not knowing these roles could cause problems in discussions and negotiations. If you were traveling to Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Brazil, Thailand, the Czech Republic, Russia, or Rwanda, what would you need to know about the traditional male/female roles? Search the Internet for one or more of the above countries to find out about male/female roles. Share your findings with the class.
week 4
Board Meeting (graded)
In this discussion, we will explore the role of triggers in shaping our assumptions and behaviors. We will then consider strategies for addressing triggers in our professional interactions.
To begin, review and complete the Week 4 You Decide assignment. Post your position statement below. We will then analyze these statements, along with the views of the different players presented in the assignment, and we’ll connect them to the discussion of triggers in this week’s lecture.
Diverse Groups (graded)
If we look at the term diversity as different groups, we can include groups such as Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. What are some differences between the Baby Boomer group and the Generation Y group when it comes to the work force? What are some of the major differences between these groups, and how can any obstacles be overcome to create a successful organization?
week 5
Blocked Responses (graded)
Do a Library search for an article called Strain Theory from Encyclopedia of Race and Crime. This article talks about the kinds of responses that one might expect when the “normal” legitimate means to acquiring the “good” stuff in life is blocked. The block can be deliberate or the result of social structure. What advice would you have for any individual who exhibits these responses?
This section lists options that can be used to view responses.
The Glass Ceiling (graded)
We often hear about the “glass ceiling.” Does it exist? Are there invisible barriers to advancement that impact some groups more than others? Use examples from the course reading to support your points, and feel free to share your own experiences with the glass ceiling.
week 6
Examining Strategies (graded)
Review the link to the documentary, A Class Divided, which can be found in the Week 6 Lecture. What strategies does the teacher, Jane Elliott, use to address prejudice and discrimination? How does the strategy vary according to the audience (children or adults in this case)? Try to connect the strategies presented in the documentary to the strategies discussed in this week’s lecture or course reading.
Traditions and Cultures (graded)
In our diverse society, how do we honor the traditions and cultures of so many varied groups without inadvertently disadvantaging anyone? How can we develop strategies to ensure that cultural traditions are respected and preserved while recognizing our commonalities?
This section lists options that can be used to view responses.
Questionweek 7
Appreciating Our Differences (graded)
We have been talking about the importance of understanding our own attitudes and prejudices in order to appreciate cultural differences. In light of this topic, why is it important? How have you dealt with situations in which you did or said things that you later learned or realized might have been offensive, or at least misunderstood?
What’s Good for Business. . . (graded)
Japanese business culture is somewhat different from that of the U.S., yet both U.S. and Japanese companies are very successful and dynamic competitors in the global economy. You will find a brief overview of Japanese business practices in Doc Sharing titled “Japanese Business Practices.” If you notice, some of the practices and ideas are pretty foreign to our American way of doing things. How is it that with this system of “rules” that seems to govern the Japanese approach to business, their companies have been able to compete so well with the U.S.? Is it possible that they know more about us than we do about them? How about other countries? Do other countries have business cultures that are quite different from ours but also highly successful? Give examples and descriptions.
(TCOs 1 & 2) The existence of a wide variety of cultures and subcultures represented within a society is _____.
marginalization
culture
cultural diversity
culturally different
cultural diffusion
Points Received: 4 of 4
Comments:
Question 2. Question :
(TCOs 1 & 2) A category of people distinguished from the dominant society on the basis of distinctive and identifiable cultural characteristics is _____.
White ethnics
race
ethnic group
culture
subculture
Points Received: 0 of 4
Comments:
Question 3. Question :
(TCOs 1 & 2) Caucasians with origins other than Northern or Western European who still hold and value their ethnic identity but do so without social cost are _____.
a culture
an ethnic group
Whites
White ethnics
a race
Points Received: 4 of 4
Comments:
Question 4. Question :
(TCOs 3 & 4) The tangible artifacts created by a culture are _____.
: nonmaterial cultures
symbols
cultural lags
material cultures
languages
Points Received: 4 of 4
Comments:
Question 5. Question :
(TCOs 3 & 4) The disconnect in a society that occurs when material culture changes more rapidly than nonmaterial culture is _____.
: globalization
marginalization
discrimination
cultural diversity
cultural lag
Points Received: 4 of 4
Comments:
Question 6. Question :
(TCOs 1, 3, & 4) The process that occurs when concepts, ideas, language, and behaviors cross cultural boundaries is _____.
cultural diffusion
cultural lag
marginalization
discrimination
cultural diversity
: 0 of 4
Comments:
Question 7. Question :
(TCOs 1 & 2) Evaluating cultural differences in relationship to one’s own cultural standards is _____.
stereotyping
marginalization
discrimination
ethnocentrism
prejudice
Question 8. Question :
(TCOs 3 & 4) An example of a person managing differences by avoidance would be
moving the offices of the two people who don’t get along further from each other.
talking to each one separately.
bringing this problem to the attention of higher management.
addressing the problem in a team meeting.
Question 9. Question :
(TCOs 3 & 4) Which of the following statements is/are true about cultures over time?
Cultures discard some of their elements that are no longer useful.
One culture enriches another culture.
Cultures are more apt to grow if not isolated.
All of the above
Question 10. Question :
(TCOs 1 & 2) Methods of communication vary among cultures. Some use direct and simple methods while others use indirect and complex means. Which cultures prefer indirect ways of communicating and use of gestures, facial expressions, some vague comments, and so on?
Japanese and Egyptian
American
Israeli and Americans
Japanese and Israeli
Question 11. Question :
(TCOs 1 & 2) Name and briefly describe the three categories of ethical theories introduced in the book. Briefly describe how the caring ethical theory can be used to understand and impact diversity at work and school.
quiz 6
(TCOs 6 & 7) Why is the following statement false? You can easily figure out how to communicate with your coworkers as long as you know their ethnicity.
This statement assumes that all people from a culture have the same communication style and patterns.
This statement does not take into account the saliency or importance of various factors on these coworkers’ communication styles.
This statement does not factor in individuals’ socialization and life experiences.
All of the above are reasons that one cannot generalize about how others will communicate just because they belong to a certain ethnic group.
Question 2. Question :
(TCOs 6 & 7) Millennial workers (19802000) tend to be motivated by
gradual organizational change.
flexibility and feedback.
working on projects alone.
authority and discipline.
Question 3. Question :
(TCOs 6 & 7) The term white privilege means that
White people have more money than people of color.
Most white people have a deeper understanding of racial issues than people of color.
Whites have unearned advantages that they often are not aware of having.
Racism no longer exists and blacks or other racial groups have attained excessive, unfair gains.
Instructor Explanation:
Question 4. Question :
(TCOs 4 & 7) Something that can generate ethnocentric responses or defensive reactions, such as voice, appearance, attitude, or behavior, is called _________.
acculturation
ethnic identity
racial identity
miscegenation
a trigger
Question 5. Question :
(TCOs 4 & 7) Time and manners are examples of this type of trigger:
CORRECT behavior.
attitude.
voice.
appearance.
smell.
Question 6. Question :
(TCO 8) The social position in life that comes as a result of behavior or things that happen over which one has no control (race, gender, and so on) is called _____.
achieved status
socioeconomic status
ascribed status
prestige
power
Question 7. Question :
(TCOs 4, 5, & 7) What organizational strategies can be put in place to demonstrate that diversity is valued and to promote a culture of nondiscrimination? Discuss two specific ways in which organizations can accomplish these goals.
Question 8. Question :
(TCO 8) From the reading in Chapter 14, briefly describe general racial disparities and inequities that exist in the workplace, education, and justice system. How can these disparities be removed?
Scenario
Scenario Summary
An Atlanta based Fortune 500 Company has recently hired you as a Human Resource Manager. You are in charge of hiring new sales consultants for the fiber optics division of this organization. Due to the competitive marketplace, sales and revenues are at an all-time low. During your interview, you stated that you could serve as a valuable asset to this company. You noted your long-standing history of selecting the best candidates for sales positions and stated that you could bring the sales division back to its place as the leading resource of your organization. You want to perform well at this job because you have been unemployed for 12 months and need to pay off your consolidated debt in order to avoid bankruptcy.
Your Role
Your job is to hire a sales manager to sell your latest fiber optics to leading wireless manufacturers of five key companies. This job requires that the sales representative be articulate, sophisticated, and knowledgeable about fiber optics. The job requires travel Monday through Friday in order for the sales representative to work with those in the prospective company. This job also includes spending leisure time after 5:00 P.M. with prospective clients.
Your Assignment
Required: Read the case summary and accompanying character descriptions, then answer the following question:
Who would you hire for this position and why?
Please state and explain your decision in a one-page summary. Make sure to include a title page. In your summary, be sure to reference course material (readings, lectures, or concepts from the flash cards).
Grading Rubric:
Category
Points
Description
Understanding20Demonstrate a strong grasp of the challenge involved in choosing a candidate. Demonstrate understanding of how the course concepts apply to the decision presented.
Analysis20Apply careful thought to selecting a candidate. Apply concepts from the course material to justify selection.
Execution10Clearly and succinctly writes answer using strong organization and proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Citations are in APA format.
Total50A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.
KEY PLAYERS
Jake, CPA Changing to Sales
.equella.ecollege.com/file/bb980e97-99ab-4984-84cd-20ca312b28ac/1/SOCS350_W3_YouDecide.html#top”>Back to TopAs my resume states, I was an accountant but have made a career switch to sales. I think working with people in sales would be more interesting than sitting at a desk all day crunching numbers. I am single and want to devote time to my career in order to be successful.
Lynn, IT Manager
.equella.ecollege.com/file/bb980e97-99ab-4984-84cd-20ca312b28ac/1/SOCS350_W3_YouDecide.html#top”>Back to TopAs my resume states, I was a math major and I minored in computer analysis. I am very good with people and I am working on improving my English-speaking skills. I graduated first in my class and I wrote a paper on fiber optics in relation to cell towers that was recently published in a peer-reviewed journal. I am a leading expert in the fiber optics field.
Karen, Sales Representative
.equella.ecollege.com/file/bb980e97-99ab-4984-84cd-20ca312b28ac/1/SOCS350_W3_YouDecide.html#top”>Back to TopAs my resume states, I have been in sales for five years. I have been awarded the Sales Representative of the Year at my last company. Currently I am relocating to Atlanta because I will be getting married next month. My credentials are stellar and I graduated at the top of my class in fiber optic engineering.
Jyoti, Manager of Wireless Retail Store
.equella.ecollege.com/file/bb980e97-99ab-4984-84cd-20ca312b28ac/1/SOCS350_W3_YouDecide.html#top”>Back to TopI began assisting in sales at my last job and did extremely well. I managed a wireless phone companys regional sales office. I trained salespeople and due to my expertise in sales, their revenues rose 60% last year. I am looking to expand into corporate sales because I know that I am an expert at sales and have a solid foundation in what customers want from their cellular service. I am single, therefore I am available to travel and work long hours.
YOU DECIDE
Activity
Note!
Submit your assignment to the Dropbox located on the silver tab at the top of this page. For instructions on how to use the Dropbox
Course Project
.next.ecollege.com/%28NEXT%2870b7e0007a%29%29/Main/AuthorMode/NonManagedVizedHtmlProf/VizedHtmlView.ed?courseItemSubId=451733117&courseItemType=CourseContentItem″>Overview and Guidelines |.next.ecollege.com/%28NEXT%2870b7e0007a%29%29/Main/AuthorMode/NonManagedVizedHtmlProf/VizedHtmlView.ed?courseItemSubId=451733117&courseItemType=CourseContentItem″>Scenarios |.next.ecollege.com/%28NEXT%2870b7e0007a%29%29/Main/AuthorMode/NonManagedVizedHtmlProf/VizedHtmlView.ed?courseItemSubId=451733117&courseItemType=CourseContentItem″>Grading Rubrics |.next.ecollege.com/%28NEXT%2870b7e0007a%29%29/Main/AuthorMode/NonManagedVizedHtmlProf/VizedHtmlView.ed?courseItemSubId=451733117&courseItemType=CourseContentItem″>Best Practices
Overview and Guidelines
An important part of our course is researching information on diversity and multiculturalism and its social, cultural, and ethical impact upon individual citizens, groups of people, and society at large.
Below are four scenarios pertaining to cultural diversity. For this assignment, you will prepare a research paper that focuses on one of these scenarios, analyzing what happened, what the consequences either are or might be, and how the situation can be corrected and or prevented in the future. These must be concrete suggestions that could actually be implemented rather than vague references or opinions. While the situations have been fictionalized, there have been actual situations that are very similar. You will submit the report in three sections throughout the course, with a due date for each section. These due dates are posted on the Course Schedule.
The Course Project should be six to eight pages in length, with an additional Title page and Reference page(s). The Reference page should include a minimum of four different scholarly, academically accepted books and/or journals used. Do not use Wikipedia and similar encyclopedia websites, such as about.com or buzzle.com. Please review the detailed instructions for each phase of the project, which you can find in the Assignment tab for that week. Your project will be graded as follows.
Week 2: Students will submit the research paper topic proposal. 25 points
Week 4: Students will submit the reference list and outline of their research paper. 75 points
Week 7: Students will submit the final version of their research paper. 150 points
APA Style Tutorial
.next.ecollege.com/ec/Courses/13775/CRS-DVUO-2148869/SSO/hub2/sso.html?node=272″>APA Guidelines for Citing Sources
Click on the link above to view the video.
This video will give you a quick introduction to APA guidelines for citing sources. Highlights include purposes of citing, guidelines and examples of how to cite sources in text and at the end of a paper, and how to format a reference list or an entire paper.
The assignment must be placed ONLY in the Dropbox. E-mailed submissions will not be accepted.
Dropbox
Submit your assignment to the Dropbox located on the silver tab at the top of this page. For instructions on how to use theDropbox, read these .next.ecollege.com/ec/Courses/13775/CRS-DVUO-2148869/SSO/hub2/sso.html?node=184″>step-by-step instructions or watch this .next.ecollege.com/ec/Courses/13775/CRS-DVUO-2148869/SSO/hub2/sso.html?node=232″>Dropbox Tutorial.
See the Syllabus section “Due Dates for Assignments & Exams” for due date information.
ScenariosHere are potential scenarios. If you happen to be familiar with an actual incident, you may request it as your scenario, pending my approval.
You have been asked to look into a company’s promotion policy. Maria, a person of Honduran ancestry, has filed a complaint that she was unfairly eliminated for consideration for a promotion because of her distinctive accent. She is a second generation native-born American citizen with a graduate degree, and has been with the company for 10 years and in her current position for 7. Alex, the person who received the promotion, is an Anglo, also has a graduate degree, but has less time either with the company or in the position. He is, however, considered to be an “up and comer” and has better job evaluations than Maria. Maria points out that she is not only the only Latina, she is the only person of color and the only woman in the department. She claims that her lower evaluations reflect a built-in bias on the part of her White male supervisors. She also states that she was told by her supervisor that she was not being promoted because he feared that their clients would have trouble understanding her accent. She alleges that the company is engaging in discriminatory practices.
The company argues that Maria is a good employee but is often loud and aggressive in her approach to co-workers and supervisors and has had some problems with attendance and tardiness. She has been counseled twice by her supervisor for tardiness, and once for absence. Each time she gave family problems as reasons. She explained that in each case a family member needed help and it was her duty to be there for the family member. When the issue of accent was introduced, it was acknowledged that it was a major consideration but was not because of discrimination. Maria often spoke very rapidly, and her accent made understanding difficult when she did. The company alleges that the ability to communicate clearly was an essential component of the job in question. Evaluate the situation. Are there indications of structural or individual discrimination involved or prejudicial attitudes? Is there any indication that Maria was unfairly treated? Is the company within its rights to expect its employees who communicate directly with customers to speak in unaccented English? Regardless of your findings, come up with a plan to avoid this sort of thing from happening again.
According to the U.S. Justice Department, in 2003 about 10.4% of all African American men between the ages of 25 to 29 were incarcerated, as compared to 2.4% of Hispanic men and 1.2% of non-Hispanic White men. What is going on here? Why are Black men in this age group so much more likely to be in jail than are people of White or Latino descent? Research the incidents of criminal prosecution, convictions, prison sentences, and time served by race and ethnicity for all threeAfrican American, Hispanic, and White men. What factors or variables are associated with who gets involved in crime, why, and what happens to them in the criminal justice system? Also look into how many judges, lawyers, and lawmakers are White compared with those who are African American. What does this tell us about structured inequality?
Islam is a highly controversial and sensitive issue in today’s world, and there are many misconceptions about its beliefs, values, and goals. For example, many Americans believe that most Muslims live in the Middle East, while in reality Indonesia has many more people of the Islamic faith. What this means is that Islam, like Judaism and Christianity, is practiced in many different cultures, and it both shapes and is shaped by those cultures. For this assignment, research the teachings of Islam and how they are interpreted and or practiced in different countries and cultures, including the United States, Great Britain, the Middle East, India, Pakistan, and other Asian countries. Additionally, how is it contrasted with Christianity and Judaism? How do these understandings impact the ways that Muslims and non-Muslims interact and communicate with one another?
Same-sex marriage is a relevant and recent topic, and one that is now becoming a workplace issue as well as a religious and a legal issue. What are the current laws regarding same-sex marriage? Moreover, what are the legal benefits of marriage that cohabiting or domestic partnership arrangements do not offer? How are these benefits (or lack of benefits) manifest in today’s workplace? You will be able to find issues related to health insurance, mortgage and retirement plans, and you are invited to see how the laws have changed in recent years. What is the relevance of this topic to patient care?
Grading Rubrics
Week 2: Project Proposal
CategoryPoints%Description
Content1040Discusses which topic scenario has been chosen and why, and how the topic is important to the study of cultural diversity.
Research Goals and Plan1040Describes what the student expects to find and or what the students would be interested in learning; describes how the student plans to go about his or her research.
Organization and Editing312Proposal is well written, well organized, and free from errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Formatting28Proposal is in correct APA format, with a Title page.
Total25100A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.
Week 4: Reference List and Outline
CategoryPoints%Description
Outline and Organization3547Outline lists the main topics the project will cover and incorporates the key elements of the chosen topic scenario; outline is clearly written and wellorganized.
Reference List3040Reference list contains at least four credible sources.
Formatting1013Submission is in correct APA format, with a Title page.
Total75100A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.
Week 7: Final Paper
CategoryPoints%Description
Content10570.2Addresses each component of the chosen topic scenario, integrating concrete examples and strategies, and uses information from sources to support points.
Documentation & Formatting1510Follows correct APA format, including a Title page and reference page with at least four credible sources.
Organization & Cohesiveness106.6Cohesive and wellorganized, with a clear introduction and a conclusion that summarizes the papers key points.
Editing106.6Uses proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Length106.6Meets minimum length requirement of six to eight pages of text.
Total150100A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.
Best Practices
The following are best practices in preparing this project.
Include a Title page in APA format. For information on APA formatting, please see the APA reference materials located in your Syllabus.
Include an introductory paragraph that introduces your chosen scenario and previews the main topics your paper will cover.
Include a concluding paragraph that summarizes your main points and the benefits of learning about the issues youve discussed.
Use headers to organize your paper and divide into sections as appropriate.
Include a Reference page in APA format, with at least four credible sources.
Check to be sure youve covered all the questions posed in your topic scenario and that youve provided clear strategies for problems that have been presented.
AssignmentReflection on Diversity
Choose one of the following topics to discuss. Reflect upon your chosen topic in a one- to two-page essay, double-spaced, in APA format. Make sure to include a title page. Based on the topic you choose, describe what the experience was like, how it made you feel and think, and what you learned from it. Connect your discussion to at least three concepts, examples, and/or quotes from the course readings or lectures.
Explore a time when you felt like “other”when you were made to feel invisible, excluded, or too visible.
Explore a time when you perceived someone or some group as “other” (when you noticed someone or some group was outside or excluded).
Explore a time when a connection was made between you and an “other.”
Submit your assignment to the Dropbox located on the silver tab at the top of this page
assignment 1
AssignmentLet’s Be Lefties for a Day!
This assignment is designed to shift your viewpoint just a bit and hopefully help make clear what it is like to be different from the mainstream of society, as well as how the perception of normality is based on how closely yo